Aftermath
by Aerilon452
Summary: River and Doctor try to process what happened to Amy and Rory. Post The Angels Take Manhattan. ONE SHOT COMPLETE


Summary: River holds her Doctor close while they process what happened to Amy and Rory.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Doctor Who

Rating: T

Pairing: River and the Doctor

**AFTERMATH:**

River lay in the Doctor's bed, wearing black leggings and a long loose t-shirt, with her beloved husband. He had his head resting over her heart; listening to it beat. She stroked his hair as she fought to keep the tears at bay, fought to push back the last image she had over her mother. Her mother had wanted her to take care of the Doctor, to be a good girl, and she would. River would do as her mother wished. A single tear slipped free as she continued to hold the Doctor in her arms. He was quiet, so very still that it was starting to worry her. She never liked it when he remained quiet for so long. Her Doctor was normally moving around, talking a million miles an hour, and flirting with her.

"How can you lay here with me?" The Doctor asked. His voice sounded far away as he was still seeing Amy being taken by the Angel. Amelia Pond was gone. Why was that so hard to fit into his giant brain? He had lost people before; Donna, Martha, Rose, Sarah Jane, and so many more. But Amy and Rory hit him right in the gut, ripping his hearts to shreds all the while he was lying in bed with their daughter, lying against her with her arms around him.

"I love you." River answered. "I always love you." She couldn't hate him. She didn't blame him for what happened to her parents. What happened to them was meant to happen; a fixed point in time. "I know you; you're blaming yourself right now while I'm still in shock." River wanted to stay in shock, numb, to what happened. If she stayed numb then she wouldn't cry.

The Doctor moved from River's side, settling over her, her knees coming up to cradle his waist. He brought his hands up to cup her face. "But how can you? I lost your parents." He needed to know why she wasn't angry at him. He was blaming himself, because it was his fault. Amy and Rory trusted him and now they were gone.

"Because I don't," It was the truth as plain as day on her face, in her eyes. She needed him to see it. "So please, my love, don't blame yourself." River mirrored him, bringing her hands up to cup his sad face; her ageless god with the face of a twelve year old. Why did she have to love a man like this? She knew. He was perfect for her in every way. Yet, he stared at her with tears in his eyes. There was nothing she could do to make his pain ease. That hurt River more than anything. "Tell me what I can do for you." River waited keeping her gaze locked with his.

The Doctor closed his eyes stretching out once again, but still remaining on top of River feeling her against him, feeling her life. He needed her. "I need you to stay with me." He pleaded. Amy didn't want him to travel alone, and if River agreed, then he would be alone. "Travel with me." The Doctor looked to the bed side table in his room; a room Amy and Rory had often wondered about. There on the table was a picture of him, River, Amy and Rory from when they were together. They were laughing, drinking, and celebrating life. Now it was just him and River.

"Wherever and whenever you like," River answered as she had before. She too looked at the picture by the bed side. River remembered that day. They were in the 51st century on a planet made of diamonds from X-tonic rays. For a moment he had been sad, just a flash, but then he perked right up taking them on a tour. It had been a perfect day. "I've missed this bed." River commented, taking her hands from him to feel the sheets beneath them.

The Doctor leaned up, "This bed has missed you." He smirked lightly remembering many times Amy and Rory had asked him about his room in the TARDIS. As always he laughed, shook it off, and distracted them with some flashy talk and promises of spaceships. Now the memory made his hearts hurt.

"What is it?" River asked. "Are you remembering when my mum and dad asked about your room?" she had been standing out of sight when her mother had started to grill him about the bedroom the Doctor kept here on the TARDIS.

"Yes, though really, it is quite awkward discussing a room with your best friend who is also your mother-in-law while you are my wife and her wanting to know about a room where I made love to her daughter." He rambled not making any sense ending with River's hand over his mouth. She was smiling at him gently. The pain inside of him lessened somewhat.

River took her hand from his mouth and draped them over her head smiling at him. She had to change the subject. "Where are you going to take me sweetie?" River just wanted to get his mind off of her parents; she wanted the same thing. For a few hours River wanted to not think about the last time she saw her mother. The Doctor moved his hands up her sides, over her arms, locking his fingers around her wrists playfully. Then he casually started to remove the Vortex Manipulator. "What are you doing?"

"Since you said you were going to travel with me, you don't need this." He smirked at her. The Doctor pulled his playful mask into place. It helped push back the pain. He sat back on his haunches and then leaned over to put the leather wrist band on the bedside table. "It will be there when you need it."

River sat up as well putting her arms around his waist resting her head on his chest over the worn t-shirt he was in and the loose fitting black sleep pants. They had both had to change out of the clothes they had been in just to try and get past the day. It was like the emotional torment had been infused into their clothing. "Ok, I'll leave it there." She agreed. Tilting her head back she asked, "You still haven't told me where we're going." She punctuated each word with a kiss to the underside of his chin.

"Oh, right… yes…" The Doctor climbed off the bed and paced. "How about… no… What about…oooh… no…" The Doctor paced faster and faster scratching his short nails along his jaw. He was thinking about where he wanted to take River and he couldn't ask for hints as they would be spoilers. Then he had a brilliant idea. "How about I take you, my dear River Song, to a planet where the sand sings with every step you take." He came back to the bed and sat on the edge.

"Oh really?" River was intrigued. "The sand sings?" She slid across the blue satin, wrapped her arms around him, and kissed his cheek. "Ooh, tell me more honey." River rested her forehead against the back of his head slowly breathing in the scent of him. He smelled like the universe.

"Well, the water is lavender with crimson ripples, then the sand is a nice apple green, and the air tastes of chocolate." The Doctor turned his head and stole a kiss from River. Then he was up again, up and pacing. "River! River! What are we doing?" He came back to her and cupped her fast rapidly speaking, "You just lost your parents; you should be crying, blaming me, and not planning a vacation."

River wrapped her hands around his wrist's keeping his hands on her face. She knew this frantic look on his face and she knew how to calm him down, "My parents died together. They knew what the risks were the moment they traveled in this TARDIS." River felt her tears start to spill free. "They were together in the end." Finally the numbness fled and she broke as hard as she tried to calm him, to keep herself calm. River couldn't hide the damage this time. "They're gone…" She sobbed. Her Doctor pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her shuddering frame and let her cry. River dug her fingers into the fabric of his shirt. "They're gone… They're gone…" River repeated over and over.

"Oh River, my sweet River," The Doctor crooned as he too let his tears fall. "I am so sorry." He was getting tired of say those words. River sobbed against him and he knew what it cost her to do so. "What can I do? Tell me what you need?" He cupped the back of her head, angling her head back to look him in the eyes once more; tear filled gaze for tear filled gaze.

"Just hold me," River didn't want to think, she didn't want to feel. She just wanted to be numb again. The only safe place in the universe for her was within the arms of the man she loved; her Doctor. All the interest she had in going to a beach with sand that sings left her. She just wanted to mourn the loss of her parents. "Can you make it stop?" River felt a fresh wave of tears fill her eyes. She felt him move, shift on the bed, and then his arms were around her taking her back down to the bed. He was going to do as she asked. Together they lay as she cried herself to sleep. It was the one time River Song would let herself be this vulnerable, even to the man she loved.

**THE NEXT MORNING:**

River felt her eyes try to open, they were heavy and she still wanted to sleep. Warmth engulfed her body to find her head buried under a mound of pillows and her body covered by a warm blanket. She peeked out under the edge to find a tea cup next to her vortex manipulator; a hot cup of tea. Then she saw him; her Doctor sitting in the chair in the corner of his bedroom. "Hello sweetie." She mumbled finally coming out from under the pillows and covers.

The Doctor had just come back with the tea he had brewed for her to be in time for her to wake up. "Hello honey." He said rising from the chair to go to her where he sat on the edge of the bed and brushed one of her curls out of her sleepy face. "I thought you'd want to know, I took us to that planet with the singing sand." The Doctor mention while caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"You landed? I didn't feel a thing," River asked, sitting up; the blanket around her wait and the Doctor so close to her. Then something occurred to her. "The 'Blue Boringer's?" She asked wrinkling her nose and grinning.

"Yes, the blue boringer's; just for you. I knew you were still sleeping." The Doctor leaned in and kissed her forehead. When he pulled back he saw River looking at the picture again. "What is it?" He asked, though he knew.

"I can never see them again can I?" River asked. Her eyes trailed down to the manipulator. "Not even with that?" Right now she wanted to see her mother, to hear her mother's voice, to see her mothers smile. But she couldn't. The angels had taken her parents while she watched.

"No, I'm sorry." The Doctor lowered his head, "If you go back in time to try and save them, you'll…"

"I know; rip a hole in all of space and time." River finished. "Been there, done that, got married." She forced a smile, tried to make it seem real. "I'll be down in a minute. Just gonna get changed." She smiled again and found that it was easier.

The Doctor closed the door to his, their, room and for a moment thought it hadn't been a good idea. He had left his wife alone with a fully active vortex manipulator. If she got it into her head, she could go back to where her parents had been taken and try to rescue them. It was River, and she did tend to do things like that. Working up the nerve to go back in the door opened and there she was, dressed, her hair brushed, and an actual smile on her face. "You ready?" He asked.

River had thought for a fraction of a second about putting the manipulator back on her wrist to try and re-write a fixed point; like she had done with him. Yes, she and her love had gotten married, but that had happened because of her, because she refused to kill him. River looked away and got dressed so she could join her husband on a beach where the sand would sing with each step. "Yes, I'm ready. Shall we? Adventure waits for us." Taking a deep breath River led the way to the control room and then to the doors that would open onto their next adventure.


End file.
